Legend's Past
by Ssedrey
Summary: 20 years after Tenchi Muyo! in Love, a new legend is born.
1. Legend's Past - Chapter 1: The Legend Ar...

Well here it is folks, the first fanfiction I've done in years it seems. First off, I'd like to thank my buddies at #tenchiff for helping through this one. It's been long and slow going but you guys have stuck behind me all the way. I appreciate it, fellas. Next, Tenchi and all characters related in any way are the property of AIC & Pioneer. Please don't sue me, I have no money and very likely never will. (It burns! It burns!). To everyone else, I merely hope you enjoy.  
  
Legend's Past- Part I  
  
  
  
Present Day...  
  
  
  
A hot breeze blew around him and into his lungs. The place was dark and far more humid than he'd remembered when he was last here. But he doubted any of that was due to any climate change as the place he landed was now a crater caused by the beast he'd come here to fight. The twilight on Planet Jurai seemed calm and peaceful as Tenchi Masaki surveyed the twinkling stars above. It was serene, without even a trace of a cloud blotting out the beauty above. It almost made him forget the devastation around him, even though he knew that somewhere close by, the monster still thrived.  
  
Tenchi stood as an oddity in a crater which had once been a gigantic Juraian city. He stood in the center of it all as a single beacon of life in a land filled with the fruits of destruction. Though scorched and slashed in various places his skin-tight blue battlesuit still seemed to be undamaged. He had been lucky as only tiny scratches broke his skin. In his hand a slender Juraian-made hilt was clutched at his side. It was the sword of his namesake, and now was the only weapon that stood a chance against the hundred-year-old monstrosity, Kain. His dark brown eyes stared around the carnage hoping for any sign that he wasn't the only one left.  
  
Indeed, Tenchi could pick out the bodies of his friends. Whether they were alive or not was another question. Both Kiyone and Mihoshi lay next to a wall. Even though they had fallen early in the battle, they still showed no signs of returning to consciousness. That is, if they were only unconscious and not...  
  
Not far away, mussed up purple hair came out from beneath some debris of a nearby building. Ayeka lay there, her own battlesuit almost completely shredded. Burns covered her face and body as not even her formidable shield could protect her from that creature. She, like Kiyone and Mihoshi, also lay unmoving.  
  
Washu had been buried later in the battle beneath a ton of rubble. Tenchi could still see the gigantic pile of rock that marked this tragic loss. Tears welled up in his eyes as he believed that, this time, not even Washu's genius could've saved her. But Tenchi knew that there was no time for mourning. Even now he could hear the beasts horrible laughter as it gathered its strength.  
  
Tenchi began to scan the area faster as his emotions now bordered panic. He hadn't found any sign of Sasami, but, even though he cared for his friends very deeply, it was not any of them that he searched for. As each second passed, Tenchi grew more and more desperate, and fell deeper and deeper into despair. Finally Tenchi caught sight of several strands of cyan hair dangling down in streams over the stone.  
  
"Ryoko!" Tenchi shouted, his voice breaking the dark scene and sounding strange to him as it rebounded off the remains of buildings and returned to his ears. Tenchi ran towards the person to whom the hair belonged to, her body coming more and more into focus as he came ever closer. Ryoko's body was bruised horribly as he saw her, and several cuts afflicted her being with blood pouring from her wounds. But at that moment, Tenchi felt as if she were the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He knelt down close to her as worry began to creep into his mind. But he found relief in the gentle rhythmic rising of her chest that confirmed that life had not left her. Tenchi placed his hands upon her shoulders and gently shook her in an attempt to return her to consciousness. Slowly Ryoko's eyelids fluttered open. "Tenchi!", she shouted as she shot up onto her knees and wrapped him in her embrace. Tenchi returned her affections, knowing that this may well be the last time he'd be able to hold her.  
  
As if on cue, the ground shook and heaved terribly. The winds came forward howling violently and the few buildings left standing fell in a great thunderous cacophony. Only a few feet away from the pair, the ground seemed to fragment into a spider's web of dry, cracked Earth. A substance of the darkest black oozed up from between the cracks with tiny pieces of what appeared to be white ceramic flowing amongst it. As the darkness seeped through, it all began to join together, molding into a gigantic ebony body. So, too, did the white fragments entangle forming two enormous clawed hands and a terrifying face, set in stone. Three glowing eyes stared down from that evil smiling visage, the light cast from them only interrupted by tendrils of the blackness, ever swirling through in a steady chaotic stream. Kain had arrived.  
  
Tenchi rose to his feet with a grim yet determined look on his face. Holding the sword's hilt out in front of him in the stance of a Juraian Knight, Tenchi prepared for this, the final battle. Summoning his inner Jurai power, he concentrated the energy through his hands and into the sword. Abruptly a long blue blade reflecting Tenchi's own strength, shot out from the sword's hilt. It was time for the final blows, Tenchi knew. Either one or both of them would fall at this exchange's conclusion. For Kiyone, Mihoshi, Washu, and all the others...  
  
Tenchi charged onward, his sword and a feral shout leading the way towards the demon's heart. Suddenly he felt as if he had run into a gigantic force field as the beast's clawed white hand slammed down upon him. But Tenchi's own strength prevented Kain's blow from crushing him. Tenchi quickly arced his blade upward, tearing a deep gash in the monster's hand. A purplish substance that served as the creature's lifeblood poured from the wound as it howled in more rage than pain. Returning its arm to its side, Kain leered at Tenchi. Two sparks of energy appeared where its shoulders would've been and suddenly three bolts of electricity lanced out from Kain, only its target was not Tenchi, but the wounded Ryoko lying nearby.  
  
Ryoko gazed blankly at the bolts of white hot energy, stunned as they were hurled towards her. She screamed a terrible keen of agony as one shot through her arm, another speared her thigh, and the third pierced her chest. Electricity ran up and down her body as she squirmed in an attempt to escape the horrible pain.  
  
"Ryoko!" Tenchi shouted not realizing the diversion for what it was. He turned back to the demon just in time to see its hand slam hard into his face leaving a thick line of blood running across his cheek. As Tenchi fell back, reeling in pain, Kain's other hand swung out quickly, and tore the sword from his hand. Tenchi made a pathetic attempt to reclaim his weapon, which now lay a good distance away, and was seized around his throat as the monster's hand lanced out again. Kain lifted Tenchi to meet its grinning white face as its own black body engulfed Tenchi in a cocoon of that substance. The darkness burned Tenchi's skin as if it were acid and he could not keep back an agonized shriek in response.  
  
Kain laughed mercilessly as he clutched his enemy within his power, savoring the victory. Even though its mouth did not move, Kain's deep inhuman voice rolled out and mocked Tenchi. " At last the end of Jurai is near!" it said. ," For not even its Emperor can destroy me!"  
  
With that boast the darkness around Tenchi intensified. He felt his flesh burning and rolling from within Kain's clutches. Dimly, Tenchi heard Ryoko cry his name out in horror, but her screams were drowned out by his own. Then, Tenchi began to feel light and his vision blurred as his consciousness dwindled. As he slowly lost focus on the world he didn't even notice the bright light that flashed into the area. The light grew stronger and brighter until it drowned out everything in the crater. Finally the light began to dissipate, slowly shrinking in size and disappearing altogether. But as it departed, so too, did the forms of Kain, Tenchi, Ryoko, Ayeka, and all the others disappear leaving nothing but the crater and the ruins to mark what had transpired there.  
  
  
  
At that point in the nightmare, the man was jarred awake. He shot upright in his bed, eyes wide open darting back and forth to the shadows until he realized that it had all been a dream. Breathing a sigh of relief he threw the sweat-soaked sheets off of him and brought his legs out over the side of the bed. Setting his elbows on his knees he raised his hands to his face where he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Taking a deep breath he stood up and stretched tightly knotted muscles. Looking around he noticed a lone mirror standing out, barely noticeable by the room's single blue light. As he stood there he took a long look at himself in the mirror.  
  
He had short cyan hair, parted down the middle and hanging down either side of his face. A couple of loose strands hung down in front and where his hair had grown long, it was tied back in a ponytail that fell between his shoulder blades. His eyes were large, brown, and full of compassion and intelligence. But they also had a cat-like look to them, which hinted at mischief and craved adventure. His body was perfectly balanced and the muscles were finely toned. He wore only long white sweatpants which was held up at the top by a black string tied around his waist.  
  
Taking his eyes from the reflected visage that had stared back at him he began to march for the dresser but stopped as he nearly tripped over something that lay on the white carpeted floor. Looking down he saw a thick hard-back book lying open on the ground with a long green ribbon marking the place. Reaching down, the man closed it and lifted the book before his eyes.  
  
The book itself was of a dark green, almost black and the pages were rimmed with a golden material. That same substance defined the borders of the cover and also made up the large Juraian caricatures that formed the title. It read:  
  
"The Legend of Tenchi Masaki"  
  
The man looked down at the title and grimaced as he recalled his nightmare from the night before. Tossing the book unceremoniously upon his bed he muttered "That's the last time I read that junk before I go to sleep!"  
  
Continuing onward the man moved to a small crumbling dresser and proceeded to dress himself. He put on a black tunic and a ragged brown jacket, then stuffed his feet into black boots. Walking back over to the mirror he studied himself and smiled despite his ragged appearance.  
  
"Yosho, old man..." he spoke to his reflection though his years didn't even number in the twenties. ,"You are one good- looking guy."  
  
  
  
Tetsuya leaned back against the stone surface of the alleyway as a brief tired yawn escaped his mouth. His spiky short black hair stood well against the gentle wind that had managed to creep it's way into this area. Dark blue eyes, much resembling a deep crystal, stared down at his feet with an unspoken sigh and the beginnings of a worry he'd long ago told himself to ignore. His skin was tanned dirty with years of living in small rat holes and on the streets. He wore a thick black jacket covering a simple white T- shirt, stained here and there by smudges of dirt. Thick black pants covered his legs and were tucked into small ragged ebony boots.  
  
Looking down at a band around his wrist, a holographic image appeared forming into a digital clock. Tetsuya sighed as he realized he'd been waiting there for nearly an hour now. He focused now on his surroundings as he now knew that, with the time passing as such, he'd probably need to make a quick escape. The alley was very damp and slippery with large and small crates packed on either side, providing higher ground should Tetsuya be forced into a fight. At the end the path terminated in a high stone wall running from either of the two large white buildings to the sides. Dimly Tetsuya wondered if that wall would prove an advantage or a hindrance, but if the kid was doing most of the fighting as he suspected, it probably wouldn't matter.  
  
Even as the thought entered his mind though, Tetsuya heard several footsteps charging his way. The first source of the noise charged around the corner, nearly falling over as he did it, and ran down the alleyway. Tetsuya sighed as he recognized Yosho, carrying a large stuffed sack over his shoulder, running at top speed and shouting, "Incoming!"  
  
Tetsuya stepped to the side and gently caught the bag thrown to him as Yosho sped by. Calmly setting it aside, Tetsuya found a spot of well-placed crates and slipped between them for cover. Pulling a small junky blaster from beneath his jacket, he lined up his sights on the alley's entrance as Yosho's pursuers made their way in.  
  
Eight people charged in, five male, and three female. Every one of them wore the blue uniform and red tie that marked an officer of the Galaxy Police. The one in the lead, a brown-furred alien with a canine maw shouted out to his companions as he spotted Yosho. "There he is! We've got him trapped!" Tetsuya grinned as he realized the irony in the unknowing policeman's words.  
  
Tetsuya let the first four pass, confident that they were not beyond Yosho's capacity to handle, and concentrated his aim on the last four. As the last of the group came charging in Tetsuya opened fire, sending three high-powered bolts of orange energy lancing out at them. One of the officers, a male, took the shot in his shoulder. He fell over clutching the scorched wound in agony. A female officer managed to pull her blaster as the firing started but only in time to take a shot through her thigh. Doubling over, she dropped her blaster and began crawling for the closest cover. The other two officers managed to leap behind a few crates for cover as the firing began and managed to remain unharmed. Satisfied, Tetsuya halted his shooting as he kept his blaster trained on where the remaining officers hid. He was confident that when they peeked their heads up he could easily pick them off where any counterfire would be random and useless. The two Galaxy Police officers knew this as well and hoped the four who had chased after Yosho would finish the boy soon.  
  
Hearing the shots fired behind them, two of the four chasing Yosho turned around to see the source of the commotion. But the other two, including their dog-like sergeant, continued their pursuit. Yosho headed straight for the wall and his pursuers grinned believing they had him trapped. In a burst of speed the canine officer attempted to close the distance as both neared the wall. But the sergeant's attempt ended in surprise and pain as Yosho leaped into the air and set his feet on the wall; kicking off, Yosho used his momentum to spin around and slam his foot into the policeman's furry face.  
  
As Yosho finished the move he landed on the ground beyond the reeling sergeant where he prepared to meet the other officer's charge. Setting his feet in a stance suitable for his next strike, Yosho leaped up into the man's attack. He spun in one full circle sending his left foot out in a wide arc that connected with the GP's face. But the move wasn't finished. As Yosho landed he continued to spin on the ball of his right foot. He grabbed the human combatant's arm, drawing the man into the circle, which only ended as the officer received a punch to the face that the sergeant had intended for Yosho. The human officer dropped to the ground unconscious.  
  
At this point one of the two policemen that had lagged behind, noticed the fighting and began charging in to give his fuzzy companion a hand. As he charged in, the canine officer had attacked Yosho with a flurry of punches and then struck out with a kick down low. But Yosho was not so easily fooled and he easily jumped over the incoming sweep. But the other officer threw in a punch high to catch Yosho in midair. Yosho twisted around and layed out dodging both attacks as he fell in the narrow space between the punch and the kick.  
  
Yosho fell to the ground having avoided their double strike, but he knew he didn't have much time until the next attack. Setting his hands beneath him, he then shifted all his weight into his upper body and heaved his legs into the air in a perfect handstand just as the sergeant kicked at his formerly prone form. Again the strike found nothing but air. But the other officer saw Yosho in his handstands and charged in hoping to grab the agile boy. But as he barreled in, Yosho split his legs open in an almost perfect horizontal line. Then, using the officer's momentum, Yosho closed his legs around the man's head and threw him right towards his furry ally. Yosho then did a series of back flips that carried him a good distance away from where he had just fought. He landed back on his feet and set himself into a powerful fighting stance where he glared at any remaining enemies in a calm stare that promised pain.  
  
The officer Yosho had thrown hit the ground hard and fell unconscious, but the sergeant managed to evade the human missile. Realizing now that he had no chance of beating Yosho in hand-to- hand combat, the canine policeman reached to his side and pulled out his blaster. Setting its sights on Yosho the sergeant prepared to finish the battle.  
  
But the moment the sergeant drew the weapon, Yosho began a dash right towards him. The sergeant got off two rounds as Yosho neared. As the first shot came in, Yosho dove to the side and held his body in air on his left hand. The second shot soared right between Yosho's legs as he parted them in air. Yosho then flipped forwards onto his feet and ran the last couple steps towards the alien officer.  
  
As he charged in towards his terrified opponent, Yosho leaped high into the air and thrust his right hand above him. Orange energy ran in streams around his hand, heeding his call, as it all joined together in a small compact ball on his palm. Closing his fingers around the sphere, the ball transformed into a long orange sword that glowed with power. As Yosho descended he grasped the sword with both hands and swung it down upon the canine sergeant.  
  
The sergeant stared down at Yosho, his eyes filled with dread, as the boy landed in front of him. Suddenly the barrel of the officer's gun split right down the middle and fell apart in his hands. Yosho looked up into the sergeant's eyes as a grin found it's way onto his face. Taking his right hand from the sword, Yosho raised his pointing finger in front of the Galaxy Policeman's visage. He then waved his finger back and forth as if to scold the officer on the use of a firearm.  
  
The canine sergeant, now completely unnerved and horrified, slowly backed away and then ran around Yosho and out of the alley screaming. The other officers that were still conscious cast a dumbfounded look at Yosho, who was slapping the energy blade lightly across his palm, and the followed the course their leader had taken.  
  
Tetsuya watched the fleeing officers depart before he came out of his hiding place behind the crates. He looked around the area and at the two unconscious policemen before turning a curious look towards Yosho. Yosho dissipated his sword into tiny glowing specks before it disappeared altogether. Catching Tetsuya's look, Yosho just shrugged in response.  
  
Tetsuya sighed and put his blaster back inside the hidden holster within his jacket. He walked towards Yosho and gave him a scolding look. "You're late."  
  
  
  
Deep space. A vast, seemingly endless, void with no dimension or form. Never can a deeper, more profound blackness be found among the living. The only light found among this curtain of darkness were the billions of stars moving endlessly until they flared up and died. For all their number, though, they couldn't even come close to filling the space around them. And so they traveled, lost amongst the void with nowhere to go. Yet even though the stars themselves knew not where they drifted, ironically they now served as guideposts for ships that passed through.  
  
One such ship now slowly drifted through this space on a steady course. It was fair-sized and colored in beige with brown edges along the tips of strangely arrayed long sections. The bulk of the vessel rested in a spherical center but from there it branched off from each side directly opposite each other and formed together into what appeared as wings. The starship had a certain grace to it as well, as if it were an extension of the nature of its homeworld. Such was the tree-like beauty of a ship of Jurai.  
  
From within the bridge section, with the tree that controlled the ship behind her, a young girl stared out at the stars that swept by endlessly. She had long dark blue hair in a style where the front hung down to the sides of her face and the back was tied in a long ponytail. Her eyes were red which, with her elaborate white and light blue dress, made her well known as a member of Jurai Royal Family.  
  
With her destination, a small blue and green world, now in sight through the main viewport, the girl let out a small sad sigh. Responding to her discomfort a Juraian Knight stepped up beside her with staff in hand. Like the design of the ship, his armor and weapon reflected Jurai's value of all things natural. His hair was black though shaven mostly, and was tied back in a topknot. A thick mustache rested beneath his nostrils. His face was very hard and cold allowing for little emotion. His only cares were for the wellfare of his homeworld and their princess with whom he has been charged with protecting.  
  
"Is there something wrong, your highness?" he asked, showing true concern.  
  
"No, Setsuo." The girl replied sadly. "I'm just tired of these endless meetings."  
  
"Princess Matsumi, you must understand." The Knight explained. "With the Juraian Empire in the state that it is, it is imperative that we show our strength and quell any possible uprisings."  
  
"Yes, I know!" Matsumi growled as she faced the Knight. She walked away from the viewport and waved her arms in hopeless frustration as she stated. "I just wish there were a way out of this bureaucratic prison!"  
  
Setsuo only looked at the Princess sadly.  
  
Matsumi became even more frustrated upon seeing the Knight's less than helpful stare. "Just once I'd like to see some action! Some adventure!"  
  
Setsuo shook his head at her sadly. " I understand your feelings, Princess. But I'm afraid that with how things are right now, we simply can't afford to take any risks."  
  
With that Matsumi turned her back on him. She "hmmph'd" to herself and exited the bridge leaving Setsuo staring behind her. She marched down the hallway and into her bedroom. As she entered the dark room she fell down on her bed and grabbed one of the pillows. Clutching it closely to her chest, she thought to herself. *Fine then. If you won't help me, I guess I'll just have to help myself.*  
  
Matsumi grinned mischievously as a plan began to form in her mind.  
  
  
  
The cold breeze swept across the rooftops of this small spaceport city. The wind seemed to always be cold on this part of the planet Orega. Chill and terrible winters rocked this land and kept it barren, whereas the summers, though hotter, had terrible winds. But the people that walked the streets here hardly ever noticed them. A strong stubborn form of humanity had grown here, and, despite the chill, stood proud of the solid city they had built here.  
  
A sigh escaped Yosho as he stared up at the yellowish sky from one such windswept rooftop. Not for away Tetsuya sat cross- legged as he dug through the sack Yosho had tossed him back in the fight. He eyed several trinkets before setting them to one side and counted packs of money before he set them to the other. For a moment silence had fallen between the two and Yosho let his mind drift outwards to the clouds.  
  
It seemed to almost always be cloudy on this world allowing only rarely for breaks in the cover for the sun to show through. Even more rare were breaks in the night, so star-filled skies were few. But on those nights Yosho felt pulled towards something greater. It was almost as if something beyond the boundaries of this world beckoned for him to find it.  
  
"Not a bad haul." Tetsuya called to him, shattering Yosho's line of thought abruptly. "Looks like we'll be eating well for awhile."  
  
Yosho's face brightened at the mention of food as he sat up and faced Tetsuya. They had difficulty usually, just trying to pay the rent and were rarely able to live or eat in anything resembling luxury. The prospect of a real meal for a change always tended to lighten Yosho's mood.  
  
"So how many GP were there this time?" Tetsuya asked turning a curious eye on Yosho.  
  
"Eight, I think." Yosho answered.  
  
Tetsuya smiled. "That's a new record for you. Just last week I remember you were having trouble getting more than four."  
  
At that, the two shared a laugh. Tetsuya always liked to let Yosho think of their business as a game of sorts. A little something to ease Yosho's often adventurous spirit. Unfortunately that same spirit tended to lead to recklessness that left Tetsuya worrying out of his mind. Though Tetsuya originally found Yosho as an orphan, he often thought of the boy as sort of a kid brother. Now though, Yosho had grown into a strong young man. Tetsuya was amazed at his potential and every day saw just one more surprise right after the other. It was true that Tetsuya had taught Yosho how to fight, but now Yosho had begun using techniques and moves that Tetsuya could never imagine doing himself. And then there was that sword...  
  
At this point Yosho had leaned back and began to stare at the sky again. Suddenly he blurted out. "Do you think it's out there?"  
  
Taken by surprise, it took Tetsuya a moment to respond to the question. "What?"  
  
"Earth." Yosho said as he tilted his head to look at Tetsuya. "Do you think it may really exist?"  
  
Tetsuya sighed and gave Yosho an annoyed glare. "Don't tell me you've been reading that stupid book again, have you?"  
  
Yosho shrugged sheepishly and turned away in embarrassment.  
  
"Listen." Tetsuya sighed as he prepared to give his lecture once more. "Tenchi, Earth, and all that other stuff? They never existed. The whole thing is just a legend used to teach morals and frighten little kids. Even if it does exist, I doubt it's some great paradise rivaling the beauty of old Jurai itself."  
  
Yosho turned away with a sad, pained expression on his face. Silently, so Tetsuya couldn't hear him, Yosho muttered in defiance, "To every legend there is a bit of truth."  
  
Suddenly, in the distance the sound of drums and cheering crowds sprang up. Yosho sat up as both he and Tetsuya stared outwards towards the source. The whine of a ship's engines soon drowned out the other noise as a light brown, almost wooden, vessel began it's descent from the clouds. Yosho studied the ship in awe. He was always fascinated by starships but he had never seen one of this grace and magnitude before. He turned to Tetsuya as the noise died down and asked, "Juraian?"  
  
Tetsuya nodded, as he continued to watch the ship's descent. "And not a militiary vessel either..."  
  
Yosho looked at Tetsuya curiously. Finally, Tetsuya tore his gaze from the ship and turned his attention back to Yosho. "Looks like it may be from Jurai Royal Family."  
  
"Jurai Royal Family?!?" Yosho near-shouted as he turned back to look at the, now landed, ship. He studied the bits of hull that were visible from between the buildings. Yosho then turned back to Tetsuya. "What would they be doing here?!"  
  
"Routine visit, I'm guessing." Tetsuya explained. "A little something to raise morale and show that they're still in charge."  
  
Tetsuya looked up to regard the boy with a curious glance. "Uhm... Yosho? What are you doing?"  
  
During Tetsuya's explanation Yosho had begun to sneak away towards the edge of the building. Tetsuya's words only caught up with him as he flung his legs over the side and spun around to grab onto the building. Not even looking back he began to make his way down. He casually answered Tetsuya with, "I'm going to take a closer look."  
  
"No way, Yosho." Tetsuya said as he shook his head back and forth. "It's far too dangerous. You can bet that the place will be infested with GP."  
  
But Yosho had already disappeared from the rooftop. Tetsuya brought his hand to his face as a groan escaped his lips. He stood up and stretched tired worn-out muscles. Moving over to the ledge of the building he prepared to take up pursuit. All the while he muttered, "Here we go again."  
  
  
  
The main street of the city was wide allowing for several lanes of traffic normally. But today the street itself was cleared away while people packed in tightly for the best viewpoint from either side. Yosho gasped as he came upon the crowds. Yosho had lived within this small spaceport all of his life and yet he couldn't believe that there were possibly this many people living here. Even then, he never expected to see them all in one place as they were now. Sounds of conversation assailed him from all directions as he began to plunge into the horde.  
  
As he stammered through, nearly tripping several times, abruptly a new noise sprang up from the cleared away street. The rhythm of drums could be heard beating from far down the street and the crowd's chatter slowly faded into silence. Shortly after the drums began, the sound of horns, strings, and other instruments began to accompany the beat to form a great harmony. The music was both majestic and yet graceful. A fitting opening for the parade, in honor of Jurai, that would surely follow. The sounds swam through the ears of the crowd for a couple of moments before it ended gently to cheers from all around. Curious as to what was going on, Yosho pushed his way through the horde and made his way towards a building. Murmuring apologies to everyone he passed he grabbed hold of a long thick pipe running along the side of the building he had aimed for and began to climb up. Finding a secure perch just above the heads of everyone else, Yosho looked out towards the street.  
  
There, on a hovering platform guarded on both sides by two large men dressed in white clothes and graceful curving armor, was a young girl, sitting easily on the central dais, her feet tucked beneath her in a pose of dignity. She was gorgeous even by the standards of Juraians. Yosho gawked at her from his perch along the building. He hadn't seen too many women around on his world. And the few he had looked at couldn't compare to even the ugliest of Juraian women. Blue hair cascaded down the girl's shoulders and a long ponytail hung from the top of her head to the small of her back. Her large red eyes looked around at the crowds gently and kindly, but as Yosho looked on, he saw something lying underneath. Could it be... despair?  
  
Suddenly her eyes met with his and the impression of despair left her. Yosho realized he had been staring a little too late. She smiled at him and waved at him as she passed by. Yosho's face turned a bright red and he dropped his eyes to the ground hoping nobody else saw. Slowly he began to look up again sheepishly. He caught one last glance of her as the platform passed by. His last look at her brought a smile to his own face. She was chuckling. His face softened as he forgot his momentary embarrassment. Slowly he began making his way down the pipe and into the crowd, though for the moment he'd forgotten the people. He decided then that he just had to get a closer look. As Yosho reached the bottom of the pipe, he plunged back into the horde once more.  
  
  
  
"Yosho!" Tetsuya called as he began to plow through the horde of people surrounding the main street. He paid no attention to the parade going on nearby or the angry shouts of people as he made his way through. Instead he concentrated on spotting Yosho's cyan capped head among the people. Grumbling curses all the while Tetsuya muttered in between "Where in hell has that boy gone?!"  
  
Tetsuya continued marching through the crowd muttering an endless string of curses. Just as he was about to give up, he looked up and spotted Yosho clinging to a thick pipe on the side of a building, not far from where he was standing. Tetsuya breathed a sigh of relief as he began trying to make his way over to Yosho. But he had barely even taken a step when a small flash of something at the corner of his eye halted him in his tracks. Tetsuya turned his head to see what he now confirmed to be a blue uniform. On a hunch, Tetsuya continued his scan of the crowd. His guess was proven correct as he noticed, stationed at various intervals all over the horde was an infestation of Galaxy Police. And one of them, was staring right at him.  
  
Tetsuya ducked back into the crowds hoping that he was just imagining things and that the policeman hadn't actually seen him. But he knew better than that, and was pretty sure he had seen the GP pull out a communicator before Tetsuya had backed out of sight. Attempting to come up with a quick plan of escape he peaked up over the top of the crowd once more and breathed a sigh of relief. Yosho was nowhere to be seen. That meant the boy wouldn't be caught in the snare and, with a little luck, wasn't even noticed by any of the policemen. However, Tetsuya did notice that several GP were slowly filtering through the crowds towards him.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Tetsuya ducked back down and thought quickly on his whereabouts. Using that information as a guide, he formed a plan to make his way out of the noose the GP were closing him in. Tetsuya slowly began to make his way through the crowds once more.  
  
  
  
After much shoving Yosho finally made his way to the front of the crowd, despite the fact that working his way through had proved more difficult than he first thought. He discovered that the closer he came to the front, the more reluctant people were to let him by. Even now as the last person cursed angrily and Yosho stepped past, he found that much of the parade had already passed him by.  
  
Whispering a curse to himself, Yosho looked around for any way to work his way back around. For any way to catch one final glimpse of the Juraian Princess. He could see the hull of her ship, glimmering slightly in the distance. On the other side of the parade line, the giant vessel waited patiently for the Princess and her entourage to return and lift off again. The hatch wasn't too far away now, which meant that Yosho was running short of time.  
  
Becoming desperate, Yosho began to make his way back into the crowd until his progress was halted abruptly by a bearded oaf that was twice his size. Screaming a string of profanity at Yosho, the man shoved the boy right out of the crowd and into the marching band proceeding the central dais. Yosho nimbly dodged the many band members and their instruments until he emerged at the end, and found himself alone in the middle of the street as the crowds looked on. His embarrassment only lasted as long as it took for a shout from within the horde to reach his ears. "Hey, you!"  
  
Yosho turned towards the shout to see a familiar canine Galaxy Police Sergeant pushing his way through the crowd with a small battalion of officers behind him. "Stop right there!" the sergeant shouted at him.  
  
As far as Yosho was concerned, that was his cue to leave. Yosho made a quick dash across the street and plowed into the crowd nearest the Juraian starship. Muttering apologies as he passed, Yosho tried to form some plan of escape. He had not the slightest clue of where he was going. All he knew was that he had to escape. Yosho realized that the reason he was in this mess was because he directly defied Tetsuya. And if he got caught now, Yosho'd never live it down. Yosho charged through the last group of people and suddenly found himself... in the hatchway of the Juraian ship.  
  
Yosho looked around himself in awe as he suddenly forgot all about the Galaxy Police, and even the Juraian Princess. He studied the smooth bulkheads and ran his hand over it slowly. He noticed the texture had a fine, yet wooden feel to it. And yet, the surface also had the feel of strength and power. Abruptly Yosho realized where he was, shocking him back into the reality of the situation.  
  
"If they catch me here, I'll really be in for it!" Yosho muttered to himself. Turning around and beginning to sneak away, Yosho said "I'd better get out of here!"  
  
Suddenly Yosho turned back around again with a new look on his face. A mischievous grin ran across his face and a barely noticeable twinkle appeared in his cat-like brown eyes. "... Right after I have a look at that bridge!" Yosho added to his previous statement.  
  
With that Yosho ducked into the central hallway and charged in the direction he believed would take him to the bridge.  
  
  
  
The crowd's cheers never faltered as the parade came nearer and nearer to its end. The platform had moved a full circle around an inner section of the city and had begun it's way back towards the Juraian starship once more. As the beige hull slowly began to come into view, Matsumi decided that the time had at last come to put her plan into effect. With only a few paces left between her and destiny, excitement welled up in her to the point that she thought she might explode. She could see the hatch at the front of the ship lying open, inviting her towards her fate.  
  
She looked to the left and right to check on the two knights standing at either side of her. They both stood poised at attention ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. Their eyes swept across the crowds with a glare that warned all the people surrounding them to maintain their distance. Matsumi smiled to herself. All was going well so far. The two knights had a sharp eye for anything and they were certainly in no less then peak form today. Nothing could get by their notice. At least, nothing outside the central dais...  
  
As they came nearer and nearer of the Juraian ship, Matsumi chose a spot up ahead in the movements of the central dais where she could execute her plan. Still keeping a close eye on the knights' movements she slowly slipped her hand into her kimono and produced a large paper bag. Raising the paper bag to her lips, carefully, so as not to make any sudden noises- though with this crowd she probably wouldn't have to worry about that-she began to fill it with air.  
  
Matsumi then pulled the bag close to her and checked on the two knights at her side once more. Seeing that their attention was still on the crowd she waited until the central dais came just within a few paces of the ships hatch. Then she raised the bag, pulled back her hand, and...  
  
The resulting noise wasn't quite what she wanted but the effect it had was all she could have dreamed of. The sound went off over the voices of the crowds and, by the screams of the people nearby, must've seemed like the noise made by one of those primitive projectile weapons going off. The two knights suddenly gripped their ornate Juraian staffs and scanned outwards in an effort to pinpoint the direction the shot had come from. They never even considered that the real problem was from within.  
  
"Get down, your highness!" Setsuo shouted. Matsumi grinned. If only Setsuo realized how ironic that statement had been. Matsumi ducked down on top of her cushioned throne and then rolled off the central dais and onto the ground. The two Juraian knights didn't even know what was happening until Matsumi had already entered the hatch to the ship.  
  
Matsumi would've paid almost anything for a camera at that moment. Just to capture the looks on those two knights' faces. Matsumi gave Setsuo an innocent grin before tapping the switch to the main hatch. She waved and mouthed "bye, bye!" to the two shocked knights as the hatch slowly swung shut.  
  
As the hatch closed, the protests of the knights, now trying to follow after her, were cut off. Matsumi's face lit up in a bright smile as she closed her eyes and hugged herself happily. She'd pulled it off. Somehow, by Tsunami's grace, she'd done it. Suddenly her eyes opened again as the full weight of the moment hit her. A dangerous light flared up inside those red orbs.  
  
"FREEDOM!!!!" Matsumi shouted happily to herself as if the sound of her voice would make the moment even more realistic to her. She began laughing almost madly and charged down the main corridor of the ship with her arms spread out horizontally as if she could fly.  
  
  
  
With a wide smile and an adventurous gleam in his eyes, Yosho brought his hand to the doors edge and slid it open. But just as abruptly his head fell in disappointment. Yosho found himself staring into what appeared to be a large bath area. The room was a perfect square with a door opposite each other on each side. Next to each door were racks with towels and various scented soaps lined up and organized neatly. In the center of the chamber was a large pool of water with a giant fountain spouting from all four directions.  
  
The fountain was in the shape of a patch of large leaves, interconnected and pointing towards each corner of the bath. Standing atop those leaves was the statue of a man with large kind eyes and long hair flowing down his back in a ponytail as well as hanging over his ears. The figure was dressed in great royal robes, which Yosho could only guess were typical of royalty of Jurai. In the figure's hand was a long sword pointing downwards at his side. Something about that statue sparked something deep back within his memory. Yosho felt some sort of connection to this man, as if he had vaguely known him somehow...  
  
Yosho continued to study the room curiously and began heading for one of the doors when he began to hear a strange humming noise echoing from somewhere deep within the ship. Yosho listened curiously as he tried to pinpoint exactly what that noise might be. Some sort of problem with the ship? The computer systems had begun acting up maybe? Or perhaps something had broken down in the engine room.  
  
Suddenly Yosho's eyes went wide. As his thoughts drifted towards the layout of the ship he realized exactly what that noise was. The engine had started up and was preparing for take-off.  
  
The floor-plates began to rattle beneath his feet as the repulsors on the under side of the ship had begun to operate, but Yosho hardly noticed. His thoughts were, instead, centered upon what would happen to him if he was caught on this ship. Surely anyone who had snuck aboard a royal ship of Jurai would be thrown into some horrible prison for many years... or even worse...  
  
"No! Don't take off!" Yosho shouted as the thought of his head detached from his own body entered his mind. He began to run for the nearest door hoping that somehow his luck might go easy on him, just this once, and get him to the bridge. Yosho figured that by getting the pilot to stop from taking off and describing this all as some horrible mistake, he might just come out of this alive, and with another look at that princess to boot. He shouted out once more, hoping someone might hear him "I'm still in here!"  
  
The only answer Yosho received, however, was the sudden lurch of the ground beneath him as the ship lifted off. The sudden movement pitched Yosho forward, knocking him off balance. He attempted to regain his footing, but his shuffling movements came too late as he found himself crashing, head first, into the bulkhead. Falling back onto the ground, Yosho lay still. His vision slowly began to blur and become darker until he finally slipped into unconsciousness.  
  
  
  
Tetsuya slipped his hands over the edge of the building as he finished the last part of his climb. He unceremoniously tumbled end over end as he tossed himself onto the rooftop where he and Yosho would regularly come and plan their next scheme. As he settled upright at last, Tetsuya rubbed his hands with a grimace, as he hoped to ease them from all the abuse they'd seen today.  
  
"I'm getting too old for this..." Tetsuya grumbled to himself as he slowly put his feet back beneath him. With a grunt at learning of ten more aches covering his back, he began to rise to his feet.  
  
Tetsuya looked down over the streets below as he pulled his blaster from his coat. Forgetting his pains he remembered that he was still on the run here. He hadn't seen a sign of the GP for some time now, but that didn't mean they weren't there. Tetsuya began checking all the various alleyways surrounding the rooftop while keeping his blaster at the ready. When he and Yosho had first set up their little operation he had made sure to catalogue every potential hiding spot. Tetsuya was quite proud of his caution as his planning had saved the duo more than once.  
  
Finally, Tetsuya put his blaster back in it's holster and breathed a sigh of relief. There had to have been nothing less than an army of GP out there. As Tetsuya gradually became more confident that he hadn't been followed, he turned his attention back to the crowds still gathered around the Juraian ship.  
  
The hordes of people were still shouting, but the note they sang had changed to one of terror. But a new noise had begun to drown out the screams of the crowd. It was the same noise, Tetsuya realized, that he had heard when the vessel had touched down on the planet's surface. The starship was taking off.  
  
But why would the ship be taking off so suddenly without warning? The Juraians would never be so quick as to take off with people still on the ground surrounding it. Even if there had been an incident with the princess, why bother taking off? If something had happened the princess would surely have to meet the mayor afterwards to calm things down. So what then...?  
  
Abruptly it clicked together in Tetsuya's head and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at the revelation. Then his eyes abruptly narrowed and his mouth tightened in anger as he muttered to himself "He wouldn't dare!". But then Tetsuya remembered just who exactly he was talking about. He let out a long sigh as he corrected his own previous statement. "Oh, yes he would."  
  
Tetsuya growled and kicked the nearest object in frustration. How could the kid possibly pull a stunt like this? This time there'd be no way that Tetsuya would be able to drag Yosho's butt out of the fire. The mess the kid had gotten himself into had finally gotten too big. After all they'd been through, all the years of training and instruction Tetsuya had given the boy, Yosho had still gone and done something as stupid as this.  
  
Tetsuya looked up to see the ship moving away from the planet's side. He watched it slowly fade into the sky. Every last second Tetsuya could see the ship, he hoped that somehow the ship would turn around and come back. Then everything would be okay. But all he saw was the vessel become the size of a tiny dot and finally disappear into the sky.  
  
Tetsuya's eyes fell down to the ground and he stared at his feet for a moment. This time, no matter how much thinking he did, it wouldn't change the kid's fate. Suddenly, completely unbidden, a smile found it's way onto Tetsuya's face. Abruptly Tetsuya burst into a roaring bout of laughter that echoed across the rooftops of the city. Tetsuya found himself running across the rooftop and over to the ledge in the direction of where the ship had disappeared. Raising his arms and fists above his head Tetsuya cheered as loud as he could. "Go get 'em kid! Show 'em what we're made of!"  
  
  
  
End.  
  
Thanks for reading everyone. Send any comments and criticism you have to Preymaker@excite.com Daniel "Ssedrey" Powell 


	2. Legend's Past - Chapter 2: Ascension Fro...

Author's Notes: Here it is! Chapter 2 of a fanfic I started all too long ago. I actually managed to put out another chapter... it's so moving... *sobs* I'd like to thank the regular crew at #tenchiff who supported me throughout and kept nagging me to finish. It's been a long road of some of the most pathetic procrastination imaginable, but it's finally over. (Until the third chapter at least). Special thanks goes to WillZ and Sethra who were the primary source of great and powerful nagging. Tankses much guys. :) And now with all that said, on to... the disclaimer.  
  
Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo! and all related characters and substances are the property of AIC/Pioneer. All other characters and events and so yuck, are my own. This fic is written purely for the purpose of entertainment or killing zombies. To all flamers, nyahahaha! You've fallen for my trap! Even now the mind probes buried within this fic are assaulting your mind, slowly making you another addition to my army of slaves! To all others... resistance is futile.  
  
All hail Jinnai! (Owned by AIC/Pioneer) With that said, on with the fic.  
  
  
  
Legend's Past - Chapter 2: Ascension From Orega  
  
  
  
Kain laughed mercilessly as he clutched his enemy within his power, savoring the victory. Even though its mouth did not move, Kain's deep inhuman voice rolled out and mocked Tenchi. "At last the end of Jurai is near!" it said. "For not even its Emperor can destroy me!"  
  
With that boast the darkness around Tenchi intensified. He felt his flesh burning and rolling from within Kain's clutches. Dimly, Tenchi heard Ryoko cry his name out in horror, but his own screams drowned hers out. Then, Tenchi began to feel light and his vision blurred as his consciousness dwindled. As he slowly lost focus on the world he didn't even notice the bright light that flashed into the area. The light grew stronger and brighter until it drowned out everything in the crater. Finally the light began to dissipate, slowly shrinking in size and disappearing altogether. But as it departed, so too, did the forms of Kain, Tenchi, Ryoko, Ayeka, and all the others disappear leaving nothing but the crater and the ruins to mark what had transpired there.  
  
Suddenly, the scene switched, from the bleak landscape of a planet in turmoil, to one of light. Nothing but pure white light all around. And yet it wasn't bright there. A person could see in it without having to worry about being blinded at all. But there was no ground, no ceiling, nothing to offer any evidence of dimension to this place. Nothing but pure white light.  
  
But now something else was visible. Something visible way off in the distance, but was slowly making it's way closer. As it neared more and more, it gradually formed into a human figure. Tenchi walked alone through the light. He stepped on nothing and yet somehow continued to move forward. He appeared different somehow, though. His face was older, more mature, his hair having grown down to his waist. Here and there spots of gray could be seen, and the previous luster in his eyes had now begun to fade.  
  
Tenchi stopped abruptly. He looked dead ahead, in an unblinking stare. Suddenly he spoke. "The battle isn't over." Tenchi's voice had now become very weak and monotonous. "The demon still thrives and it still wants revenge, Yosho."  
  
  
  
With a shout, Yosho woke up, his sweat drenching his body. His cyan hair hung down in a tangled mess at either side of his face and his ponytail was spread out all along the smooth metal plating beneath his head. The first thing Yosho noticed upon waking up was that his head was ravaged by terrible pain. Yosho rose up slowly as he clenched his teeth from the agony. He moved his hands to his forehead and noticed a large bump had formed where he had must've struck the bulkhead yesterday.  
  
The second thing Yosho noticed was where he was. He looked around to find himself in a large square room with a giant bath in the center. There was a door in the center of every side, flanked by a rack with towels hanging from it on either end. In the center of the bath was a large statue of a warrior standing on four giant leaves spouting water from their tips. The warrior was dressed in the clothes of royalty and a long ornate sword was clutched at his side, pointing downwards.  
  
Suddenly memory flooded back into Yosho's head in a nearly overwhelming surge of realization. He recognized the hull-plates around him as the plating of a ship. And not just any vessel. By their color and the grace with which the room curved he recognized the ship as Juraian in nature. Yosho remembered, vividly now, his wandering through crowds of gathered people. He remembered, then, being chased out into the street where a Juraian parade had been going through, by a bunch of Galaxy Policemen. Yosho had only found escape when he ran right up into the ship, and before he had realized where he was, he'd found himself in one of the ship's long hallways. With the parade still well behind him, Yosho had been sure that he had plenty of time to look around and his curiosity got the better of him. And yet, before he knew it, the ship had begun to take off, with him still inside…  
  
By now, Yosho realized that he must be in space. Panic began tug at the edges of his mind. How was he ever going to get out of this one? He hoped he hadn't been unconscious long. Maybe if he'd only been out for a couple of minutes he could possibly still reach the bridge and turn this ship around. If he could only convince the Juraians of his little mistake…  
  
Yeah! That was it! Yosho's face brightened considerably as a plan began to form in his mind. If he could just make it to the bridge and convince the Juraians that he'd had a little mistake during the parade, they'd surely take him back. He'd always heard that the Juraians were very kind people, and if he could merely get them to see things from his point of view, surely, they'd be compassionate enough to take him back. Yosho's smile grew even wider yet. Why, if things worked out, he might even get to see that Juraian Princess again.  
  
Yosho could just picture it. He'd meet with the Princess and present his sad tale before her, mixing strength as well as compassion. She'd be deeply affected by his story and would offer her deepest apologies. Yosho would then grab her hand gently and tell her how much he appreciated her caring as he looked deep down into her eyes. She'd look back and become impressed by his being so forward. He'd then hold her in his arms and move closer to her so he'd be able to feel her hot breath on his neck as she gazed into his eyes. And then he'd…  
  
Suddenly Yosho was brought from his reverie as he heard a noise outside one of the doors surrounding the bath. Yosho went wide-eyed with fear. A lot of good an explanation would do him, if he ended up getting caught in here. Yosho quickly scanned the area for any way out of this predicament. He got up to his feet and began heading towards the nearest door. He didn't care where the door led so long as it got him out of here. Grabbing a hold of the door handle he slid it open… only to reveal a storage closet. Yosho tried to think on what other options he had, but the sound of another door sliding open from behind him made his decision for him. Without another thought, Yosho leaped into the closet and closed the door.  
  
Yosho now realized the door had little gaps running up and down the length enabling him to see out into the bath area. Finding a, none too comfortable, perch on top of a stack of towels, Yosho peered out to survey the person who entered. And then he nearly fell over in shock as he recognized the newcomer as none other than that Juraian Princess.  
  
There she was, no longer in full royal regalia or any makeup of any kind, and yet she was still beautiful beyond a doubt. To Yosho, who had only ever seen the plain tough-skinned women of Orega, she was the most wondrous creature Yosho had ever seen. Yosho noticed that pure joy seemed to run through every fiber of her being as if she'd just gone through some great battle and achieved victory.  
  
Hugging herself, the Princess walked over to the edge of the bath and tested the waters by lightly dipping her toes in. She slowly began to undo her sash and then tossed it to the side. Reaching up to her blue-white kimono, the Princess began easing the dress down exposing her bare backside to Yosho from within his cover. Yosho's eyes went wide and he felt a warm trickle of blood flow down his nose. In desperation he tried to back deeper into the closet but his foot slipped on one of the towels causing Yosho to pitch forward. The door in front of him crashed outward with his weight sending him head first into the bathroom floor.  
  
Setting his arms beneath him, Yosho slowly lifted his head. For a moment he and the Juraian Princess just stared at each other in silence. He saw her beautiful red eyes gazing down at him in shock. The Princess clutched her kimono tightly to herself, her hand quivering with rage or terror, Yosho couldn't tell which. He searched his mind in a desperate effort to find some soothing words to get him out of this predicament. Slowly Yosho began to speak in a gentle tone "I'm really sorry to intrud-…"  
  
Yosho couldn't get any further than that. Through the silent staring a moment ago he had never even noticed the Princess' other hand moving towards a tray holding all sorts of soaps and scented oils and the like. As Yosho spoke she picked it up and abruptly brought the tray across his face painfully.  
  
Yosho grabbed his head in an attempt to soothe the pain. "Please Princess…"  
  
"AAAAHHHHH!!!!" the Princess screamed as the tension poured out in a flood. She began to pound Yosho on the head repeatedly with the tray, all the while screaming "Help! Setsuo! Masamichi! Where are you?! HEEELLLPPP!!!"  
  
"Please…" Yosho began.  
  
"Somebody!!! Anybody!! Get this scoundrel away from me!!!" The Princess continued to scream.  
  
"Will you…"  
  
"Setsuo!!! Where are you when I need you?! This fiend is surely planning to do all sorts of terrible things to me!!! SETSUO!!!"  
  
"Stop…"  
  
"Please!!! Save me!!! Put this scoundrel to death!!!"  
  
"Hitting…"  
  
"SSSEEEETTTSSSUUUOOOO!!!!!!"  
  
That was the last straw. Yosho caught the tray as the Princess tried to attack him again. He easily tossed the tray to the side and then grabbed the Princess by the wrists. He forced her back and pinned her towards the nearest wall. He could see fear in her eyes now. Yosho's own decapitated head kept floating through his mind as he held her still for a moment. He'd better smooth things over quickly or else he'd never survive this one. Yosho began to speak again in a soothing voice "Now if you'll just listen to me for a second…"  
  
"Very well!" The Princess interrupted again. Her face turned to her side as if to brace herself for something to come. "Do whatever you will with my young and beautiful body! But know that you shall never have anything more from me!"  
  
"Will you listen to me?!?" Yosho shouted out angrily. "I don't want to do anything to your body…!"  
  
The Princess eyes opened and suddenly glared at him, all momentary fear seemingly forgotten. "Why not?!"  
  
Yosho's face suddenly turned bright red in embarrassment. He realized now as he held her pinned, how loose her kimono was hanging. Her bare shoulders were pressed against the wall and the neckline has sunk to expose quite a bit of cleavage. He could feel her pulse racing through where he had hold of her wrists. Long curving legs were now exposed from the rather disheveled kimono. Yosho turned his eyes away in an attempt to shove such thoughts aside. He opened his mouth to speak again "Listen! I was in your bathroom here when…"  
  
"AAAGGHHH!!! You really are a pervert!!!" the Princess interrupted yet again.  
  
Yosho let go of her arms and fell to his knees, clutching his head in frustration. He shouted out "Please, just listen to me!!!"  
  
Yosho thought he was going to cry.  
  
  
  
Breathing a sigh over the odd turns fate ever so seemed to enjoy, Tetsuya marched down the stairs of a small crumbling building on the planet Orega. After all the morning's excitement, he was ready to enjoy a little bit of relaxation as he returned to the tiny apartment he and Yosho had shared during their career as small time criminals. But this time, it seemed that only one of the two spaceport thieves would return today.  
  
Oddly enough, that thought didn't bother Tetsuya much as he narrowly leaped over a long gone step that was only replaced with a thin creaking wooden board. Tetsuya had always known that Yosho was a strong boy and, though he was a bit naïve in the ways of the world, Tetsuya was confident that Yosho would do well. Tetsuya had taught the kid everything he knew, and Yosho had learned every lesson to the point of surpassing many on one level or another. And that accomplishment of Yosho, was something all of it's own.  
  
The potential Tetsuya had seen in Yosho had been absolutely incredible. While it was true that the boy was a quick learner, that was hardly the extent of it. Yosho had an instinctive grace and speed to his movements that even a Juraian would be hard-pressed to match. The skill and ability with which Yosho moved made him a natural and very adept thief at a very young age. But at the top of it all was Yosho's strange ability to channel some form of energy into a powerful orange sword. After Yosho's first use of the sword during a nearly failed heist, Tetsuya had spent endless hours searching a library to identify what race might hold such power. With the revelation of that weapon, back then, Tetsuya had believed that he might have finally uncovered a key to the boy's past. But after days of frustration from reaching several dead ends, Tetsuya finally gave up and Yosho's past still remains as much of a mystery as it did all those years ago when Tetsuya had first found him.  
  
Tetsuya still remembered that day so long ago as vividly as if it were the other day. Tetsuya had just made a run on a couple people who were standing idly by on the street. How was he to know that the two he robbed were really police officers on a stakeout of the building across the street? And so a pair of trigger-happy cops chased Tetsuya until he was pinned in a small alleyway on the north side of the spaceport city. It was as Tetsuya found himself desperately fighting for his life in a firefight against the GP that he first saw Yosho.  
  
The boy was standing in the center of the alley screaming his little head off, crying for his mom as blasterfire streamed by. Little Yosho was so frightened that he didn't even move from his spot on damp cold dirt, and just sat there clutching a small stuffed cabbit. The Galaxy Policemen weren't doing anything to help the boy, of course. They were too intent on gunning down the thief that had dared pickpocket them while they were working. And so it was up to Tetsuya to leap out of his cover into a hail of blaster fire, generated by a pair of disgruntled GP. All so he could save a crying boy of three years of age. From that moment on, Yosho had attached himself to Tetsuya, and so began their partnership in crime. Back then Tetsuya had cursed himself for a soft fool, but after all these years he had never regretted that decision even once.  
  
And now it was all over and Tetsuya was alone again.  
  
Making his way down a dirty, crumbling old hall where the wallpaper was torn in several areas, Tetsuya finally came across his apartment. The old place would now be pretty quiet without the kid around. The single door marking the entrance was an old worn-down wooden mess with most of the green paint chipped off to reveal the wood riddled with bugs underneath. Tetsuya began to reach for the tarnished metal door handle when he heard a noise from within, a low creaking sound of someone stepping on the weak wood inside. Barely even perceptible, if Tetsuya hadn't trained himself to listen for it. Many people Tetsuya had known had considered him paranoid in that aspect, but that same paranoia had kept Tetsuya alive a good long time before he ever met Yosho. And it looked like that paranoia just might keep him alive again.  
  
Backing away from the door slowly, Tetsuya pulled a heavy modified blaster pistol, highly customized to look like a piece of junk in order to hide the real firepower therein. Then, planting his foot on the weak old door, Tetsuya kicked out sending the entrance inward in a splintering mass. Using the momentum of his action, Tetsuya then allowed himself to fly back and down landing in a sitting position with blaster at the ready.  
  
His attacker was good, having drawn his blaster and firing out even as the door shattered in. As it was he managed to clip Tetsuya in the shoulder but he had erred in expecting a standing opponent. Fighting through the pain, Tetsuya finally got a good look at his assassin as he aimed the blaster. The man was tall in a light brown cloak with a wide-brimmed hat atop his head. Long brown hair streamed from beneath the hat and a sleek- looking rifle gripped in both hands.  
  
The man was also fast, already reaiming his rifle to target Tetsuya's new position. But Tetsuya was faster. As the man leveled his rifle, Tetsuya fired. A powerful red bolt of energy lanced out from Tetsuya's blaster and slammed into his assailant's right arm. The man shouted in pain, clutching the scorched part his arm in a vain effort to somehow soothe the agony. The man's rifle dropped to the floor where it lay completely useless.  
  
As the man grumbled in pain Tetsuya regarded the assailant with a calm, emotionless face. Long ago during his early days as a criminal, Tetsuya had learned this method of keeping a cool head in even the direst of circumstances. A method that basically shoved all emotion into the distance and left nothing but a cold space with which Tetsuya could think quickly and rationally in. Over years of use this adoption of emptiness had almost become reflexive, turning into a defensive mechanism for whenever a situation became tense.  
  
Tetsuya commented aloud letting his voice ooze sarcasm. "Damn, I missed." The man merely rubbed the back of his head, sparing Tetsuya a single glance through his wincing in pain. Tetsuya asked, "You mind telling me what you're doing in this apartment?"  
  
The man finally recovered and took a step towards Tetsuya. Tetsuya gave the man an annoyed look and gestured with his blaster. The man, as if just remembering the firefight of a moment ago, swiftly raised his hands to show that he wouldn't try anything. Oddly enough, when the man finally spoke, there seemed to be a smile on his face. "You're Tetsuya Asaniri, right?"  
  
"Who?" Tetsuya asked raising an eyebrow as he feigned ignorance.  
  
The man chuckled, actually *chuckled *, as he answered "You're everything they say." The man's face then began to take on a look of pity. "You would've been one of Caistlin's finest if it hadn't been for that little disaster at Banaas-."  
  
"Shutup!" Tetsuya shouted as the emptiness abruptly shattered under a wave of fury. Tetsuya's tightened his grip on the blaster so that his knuckles whitened and his hands began to shake a little. How could this guy know any of that? The number of people who might've known about that incident could be counted on one hand. So how then…? Suddenly the puzzle piece snapped into place. It was simple. Out of the only people who knew about that incident, there was only one who had the authority to tell anyone about it. This man was one of Caistlin's organization.  
  
"What do you want?" Tetsuya asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Caistlin has been known to bury his failures, but I've kept to my word and haven't caused any trouble since then." At least, none that would attract Caistlin's attention.  
  
"And Caistlin is grateful to you for that." The man answered.  
  
"So if you're not here to kill me, then why the shoot-out a moment ago?" Tetsuya continued his inquiry.  
  
"That was at my own discretion." The man grinned. "I wanted to find out just how good you really were." The man's smile widened even more. "But after that display you can call me rightly humiliated." The man's eyes went to Tetsuya's shoulder. Tetsuya was still dimly aware of the pain, but having adopted the emptiness again, did not take it into account at the moment. "Precious few that I've gunned after have gotten away with as little."  
  
"I didn't tell you to put your arms down." Tetsuya growled. The man's hands shot back up. Apparently he'd believed that Tetsuya's recognition of him had meant that he was safe. But Tetsuya was not particularly fond of ANY of Caistlin's men; much less one who was so full of himself. "What do you want?"  
  
The man's smile left his face and he became very serious. When he spoke, his voice had taken on a calmer and more businesslike tone. "I've come to collect the boy."  
  
Tetsuya's eyes narrowed. His finger became tense, ready to pull the trigger. Anger and hatred simmered at the edge of Tetsuya's consciousness. Tetsuya asked menacingly "What do you want with him?"  
  
"What's it matter?" The man got out right before Tetsuya pulled the trigger. The blaster bolt lanced out from the custom pistol and whizzed by the man's ear, impacting on the far wall above a small brown dresser. Tetsuya wasn't particularly worried about all the noise he was making. The building they were in was mostly filled with beggars and blaster shots being heard weren't really uncommon in this part of town.  
  
"Damn, missed again." Tetsuya commented coldly, icy venom dripping from his voice. Tetsuya allowed his eyes to bore into the man's own so he could see the truth and malice in his next statement. "But I can't keep missing forever."  
  
Tetsuya had the satisfaction of seeing the man lose his composure for a moment. "Only Caistlin knows why." The man answered. "He's got some great interest in the kid for some reason that he hasn't told any of us about."  
  
Tetsuya hesitated. The man took that for being a signal to go on. "Caistlin will surely reward you if you hand the boy over. Why, he may even let you come back and make you-."  
  
"He's not here" Tetsuya muttered.  
  
"What?" the man asked.  
  
"I said, he's not here." Tetsuya growled allowing some irritation to seep through into his voice. Tetsuya suddenly lowered his pistol and relaxed himself. "But I can show you where he is. Pick up your rifle and follow me."  
  
The man smiled as if he'd won some great victory. Picking his rifle up from across the room, he nodded to Tetsuya as he walked over to the shattered doorway. Standing up, Tetsuya waved him on down the hallway first before taking up position behind him. The man was really far too confident in himself. He didn't even see the blow coming. As Tetsuya snapped the pistol-but across the back of the man's head, knocking him unconscious, Tetsuya began dragging him back into the apartment. He then proceeded to bind and gag the man, using his own cloak and then left him in Yosho's old room.  
  
The sudden movements brought back the memory of the blaster shot to his shoulder in a sudden wave of agony. Tetsuya moved into the bathroom and quickly bandaged the wound before setting about the task of packing his meager pile of clothes into a bundle. He then readied other key items he'd need in order to secure a trip off planet. A ragged old cloak, a bottle of a rather lousy brand of Oregan liquor, a bronze tray, and his blaster in case things suddenly got out of control. Stuffing these items into the bundle as well as slinging the assailant's rifle over his shoulder, Tetsuya then departed for the spaceport  
  
Yosho had really gotten himself into a colossal mess this time, attracting Caistlin's attention, of all things. Tetsuya decided that there was no way the kid would possibly be able to handle this one alone. Tetsuya had to grab a ship and get of this planet. From there he'd have to track down Yosho and do his best to keep him out of this coming storm. Tetsuya was not about to let Yosho fall into the Caistlin's hands. Even if it cost him his life.  
  
Tetsuya sighed. A long time ago he remembered a saying that started in his early days. To refuse Caistlin, is to refuse your right to life itself. Tetsuya hoped that he was about to become the first exception to that saying.  
  
  
  
Yosho raised the cup to his mouth and sipped at the Juraian tea. The taste had just the right mix of sweetness to the regular bitterness of most teas. A far cry from the murky water and cheap Oregan booze that Tetsuya always seemed to favor -Yosho much preferred sake himself- as was the room and dining table that he knelt at  
  
He sat at a small wooden dining table in a massive dome-shaped chamber with a transparent roof so the stars could show through. The table was in the center of a large wooden disc surrounded by water on all sides. Three bridges connected to the central disc at equal intervals and ended at large automatic doors. To either side of the doors, with roots running into the waters beside the bridges, were massive trees, whose leafy greens seemed to reach out towards the stars above.  
  
Yosho looked around at the trees with an expression of wonder. Back on Orega there hadn't been much in the way of actual greenery around. The only trees that ever grew on that backwater world were these gray things with small yellow leaves called grolk. A grim and hopeless little tree for a grim and hopeless little world. And in the cities, not even those trees existed. So the sudden splendor of the great Juraian trees were a very awe- inspiring sight for Yosho. This ship truly embodied the sheer beauty and grace of Jurai just as much as the Princess that sat across from him.  
  
The Princess smiled at him. "I see you like my ship." She commented, her voice smooth and clear, almost even musical.  
  
"Oh, yeah!" Yosho smiled at her. "It's amazing how wood seems to be so fragile and yet Juraian ships, the strongest vessels in the Universe, are built from it!"  
  
The Princess began chuckling as he spoke. "You certainly are a strange one, aren't you."  
  
Yosho merely smiled and chuckled a little himself.  
  
"You know…" the Princess began her voice suddenly taking on a more serious tone. Those red eyes turned their full attention on Yosho. "You really should have told me how you'd ended up on my ship before." She took a sip from her own cup of tea. "If you had, we probably could've avoided a lot of this mess."  
  
Yosho sighed to himself. It wasn't like he'd been given much chance to. Instead he said. "I know, and I apologize."  
  
"You're forgiven." The Princess said, smiling at him again. "The question is, what do we do from here?"  
  
Yosho shrugged. "I kind of figured maybe you could have your men drop me off somewhere and maybe help me find passage back to Orega." Yosho looked around as if only now noticing something. "Speaking of which, where are your men? I haven't seen a single servant around since I got here."  
  
The Princess' eyes widened and she choked on some of her tea. Quickly regaining her composure, the Princess asked Yosho sweetly in an obvious attempt to change the subject. "So tell me about life on Orega. Is it really that hard to get by?"  
  
Yosho failed to notice the subject change and answered. "Oh, yeah." Yosho began explaining. "Jobs are real scarce, and more and more people end up poor everyday. The only people who tend to continuously prosper are the government officials and the traders that come in at the spaceport." Yosho looked down into his cup of tea sadly as he continued. "The only way many of us get by now is to become criminals or beggars."  
  
"I had no idea." The Princess said in a shocked tone of voice. She began to explain "Back on Jurai they always tell us how good things are in our territory. All the worlds just show up as some sort of statistic. Even when I'm sent out to visit different parts of the territory, I'm only ever allowed to see all the good a world is. We never even look at any of the problems different communities might be facing."  
  
"Yeah well, it's really not THAT bad." Yosho replied putting on a smile and scratching the back of his head. "Tetsuya and I have always been able to stick up for each other and so we've lived pretty happily. Even if we aren't that rich."  
  
"I am wondering…", the Princess began to ask closing her eyes in thought.  
  
"Hmmm? What?" Yosho prodded her on.  
  
"Well…", the Princess began "You've told me about this Tetsuya, but what about your family? Don't you have a mother or father to go to?"  
  
"I don't know." Yosho replied staring down at the table sadly. "I can remember losing my mother when I was at a very young age. I remember her getting into some sort of trouble and telling me to run away as fast as I could. I ended up lost in some alley with no idea how to get back home. That was when Tetsuya first found me."  
  
Fond memories washed over Yosho as he sank further and further into the recesses of his mind. "My mother…" he began saying more to himself than to the woman sitting across from him. "She was always kind to me and very beautiful."  
  
Yosho's eyes refocused on the Princess to find her smiling up at him. Meeting her gaze he smiled back at her. As if she suddenly realized what she was doing her face turned red and she looked away from him in embarrassment. Yosho looked at her worriedly. Had he done something wrong?  
  
"I…" the Princess began slowly as if searching for the right words. "I'm afraid I haven't been completely honest with you."  
  
Yosho stared at her in confusion. The Princess looked up at him seriously. "The reason you haven't seen anyone else aboard is because I… well…", the Princess' face turned a deep shade of red. "…Kind of… hijacked this ship…"  
  
"What?!" Yosho asked, a complete look of shock spread across his face followed by skepticism. "Wait a minute… isn't this your ship to begin with?"  
  
"Well yes, but…" the Princess answered, fidgeting slightly in her seat and deliberately doing everything she could to avoid Yosho's gaze. Yosho merely stared at her blankly, confusion running through every nerve in his body. Her hands were now clenched on her kimono and her head hung low. She shook slightly; as if she were struggling with herself over how to finish what she'd started saying.  
  
Finally her eyes met his; red, shining orbs staring into the core of his being. He noticed that her eyes had begun to water as the pressure built up inside of her. "I had to!" she suddenly burst out saying. "I had to!"  
  
"Wha…?!" Yosho asked in complete astonishment. He found the sudden mood change of the Princess to be rather unsettling. He fumbled for any way to return the conversation to even ground. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Please… please, try to understand…" the Princess went on, tears beginning to run from her eyes down her cheeks. "My life, the life of a princess is a terrible way to live…"  
  
Her eyes fell back down to her lap where her fists were still clenched as the Princess poured out the emotions she had welled up for so long. "I never asked for any of this. I just wanted to be free. Free from all the troubles that a Princess of Jurai must face. Diplomatic missions, marriage meetings…" Her eyes shot back up to cut a path right into Yosho's soul once more. "It never ended!"  
  
The words struck at Yosho and slowly realization dawned on him as if a light had just filled his head. "And so…" Yosho began quietly. The Princess had turned her head aside now resting one hand on the table as the other had moved to her face where tears flowed freely. "You ran away…"  
  
Yosho reached out across the table and gently took her hand in his. The Princess looked up from the palm of her other hand at the contact. She stared down at his hand embracing hers and then turned to look at him her face being one of confusion. Yosho stared back into her large red eyes and smiled at her comfortingly. He was fully aware that this type of contact might anger the Princess, but it just felt right somehow. Instead of pulling away he only squeezed her hand gently and reassuringly. The Princess looked down again and her cheeks colored slightly. For a second they just sat there; neither one saying a word, allowing the emotion do all of their talking for them as it filled the room like a strange translucent fog.  
  
"I'm sorry." Yosho finally said, ending the moment. "I guess my showing up here really complicates your plan." Yosho stood up slowly, that calm smile never leaving his face.  
  
"Tell you what." Yosho began to offer. "Just set me down on some planet whenever you get the chance and I'll find my own way home. That way you won't have to jeopardize your time away from your troubles."  
  
He let his words sink in for a moment, adding a friendly smile to punctuate what he had said. With no response coming from the Princess, he finally stood up and began moving towards the door to the chamber. However, even though he had now managed to get out of his original predicament, he somehow didn't feel happy. Something in his heart made him feel that he just didn't want to leave things as they were. But what choice did he have?  
  
"Wait!" The Princess began quickly in an attempt to stop Yosho as he turned to exit the chamber. Yosho tilted his head and regarded her curiously. The Princess adjusted her clothing and gathered herself together before she continued. "What I mean is…well… the universe is a very dangerous place to travel through alone…"  
  
A lump formed in Yosho's throat that he quickly swallowed as hope filled him. "Yeah…?" he asked gently prodding her on.  
  
"…And I was hoping…maybe… you could come with me and keep me out of trouble… or something like that…" she finished nervously. Yosho turned back around to face her and took a step towards her. The Princess' face colored even more than it had before as she rambled on. "Not that I can't protect myself… But I figured since you're, well, you know, you might be able to point out trouble before it happens or…"  
  
She was cut off abruptly as Yosho suddenly swept into a deep bow before her. "I humbly offer my services to the Princess of Jurai as her bodyguard, if she'll have me." Yosho looked up at her from his bow and grinned.  
  
The Princess stared at him for a moment in shock. Then she smiled at him warmly, all the dignity of a princess settling on her face. "I accept." She answered officially in a tone well suited to a queen.  
  
Yosho gave her one more smile before starting on his way out once more. "Wait!" The Princess stopped him again.  
  
"Hmm…?" Yosho looked back curiously.  
  
"In all this confusion I suddenly realized that I had never even gotten your name." The Princess stated.  
  
She was right, Yosho realized. Somehow, throughout the whole day, they'd failed to give their names to each other. He had just kept thinking of her as the Princess and never even thought about getting her name. "Uhm…my name's Yosho." He answered simply.  
  
"Yosho…" the Princess repeated as a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Well, Yosho, I am Matsumi. We've both had a very exhausting day and I think it's time we got some rest. You can take Setsuo's quarters on the third floor."  
  
"Actually…" Yosho began. "I thought I'd have a look around the ship first, if you don't mind." After all that was what he had come on board to do to begin with.  
  
"Very well…" the Princess smiled up at him once more as she added in as an afterthought. "…Yosho."  
  
Matsumi entered her bedroom shortly afterward and tapped the control switch to the right of the entrance. As the door slid shut she let herself fall back against it and slowly eased into a sitting position on the floor. She bent her legs at the knees and then hugged them to her chest. Even though it had been several minutes since her conversation with Yosho, she could still feel her own heart beating fast.  
  
What was it about that boy? What was it that seemed to tug at her heartstrings every time she recalled the gentle sound of his name? He seemed to be normal enough, perhaps even a little cute, but she'd seen far more handsome beg her hand in marriage back on New Jurai. In fact, compared to all the would-be suitors back on her homeworld, this Yosho was nothing more than a scoundrel. An outlaw, that belonged in no better than the palace dungeon.  
  
So why was it that she couldn't put him out of her mind? Why was it that every time she pictured his face, with that warm boyish grin, she blushed a deep shade of red and her heart beat at twice its normal speed? She couldn't possibly like this boy. Not after all the dashing, wealthy young men that had come to her from across the stars.  
  
Yosho was nothing but a criminal in comparison. A kind criminal. A kind, compassionate, gallant, warm-hearted…  
  
Matsumi suddenly realized where that train of thought was leading and halted it abruptly. She forced herself to stand up and walk over to her bedside. She couldn't allow herself to lose control now. She was a Princess of Jurai Royal Family, and if she was going to get anywhere, she'd best learn to act like it.  
  
Matsumi then collapsed onto the bed and hugged a pillow to her chest, letting out a gentle sigh.  
  
She was a princess…  
  
Yosho hadn't treated her like a princess. Sure, he'd always addressed her as royalty, but every bow and formal gesture was always accompanied by that boyish grin. That mischievous smile always broke away the formal façade as easily as a blaster shot tearing through a piece of paper. Somehow when he smiled like that she felt as if she'd known him a long time. As if she could talk to him about absolutely anything in the universe. No, he hadn't treated her like a princess. He'd treated her like something far more. He'd treated her like a person.  
  
As she lay down in her room clutching onto her pillow tightly, she came to one conclusion. This trip was about get a lot more interesting.  
  
  
  
Rumor had it that the single spaceport that existed on the surface of the planet Orega was truly top-notch security. On this desolate world many thieves had sprung up of all different kinds in many different places. But the one place that was considered completely untouchable to all, was the spaceport. Only the extremely daring, or the extremely foolish ever attempted anything illegal anywhere near the building.  
  
It seemed to be an impregnable fortress, with a huge staff of guards working at all times to deal with any that would upset the workings of the spaceport within. With this spaceport being the planet's single beacon to the offworlders who brought in much of Orega's meager income, new up-to- date security systems were constantly being installed. Such defenses included a special weapons scanning system that detected several forms of different powders used for slug guns as well as the careful energy displacement used in blaster power packs. Only the guards' weapons were able to pass through the detection system using a special dampening device encased within the gun itself. Even if someone were to get a hold of one of these guns, it had a fingerprint identification system built into the grip so no one except the guard could fire the gun. In addition, this identification system allowed for the gun to be used without the interference of the secondary defense measures which were robotic lasers lined up throughout the hallway with targeting systems designed to home in on anyone that fires a weapon within the spaceport terminals.  
  
The security in the hangars where the ships docked was only marginally less than within the terminals. The number of guards was significantly lessened to groups that maintained position in rooms arranged throughout the hangar, ready to spring into action in the event of an alarm. However, the whole chamber was covered with a special form of camera embedded in the walls, the floor, and the hangar roof. This camera had millions of tiny lenses that recorded everything that happened and sent them back to a main computer where a three-dimensional image was constructed and displayed before the security guards in charge of monitoring the facility.  
  
Whether Tetsuya fit into the brave or into the stupid category of people that dared to make plans on the spaceport, it mattered not to him. All he knew was that Yosho was in trouble, and that Tetsuya needed to track down the kid and help out when the coming storm hit. But in order to do that, Tetsuya was going to need a ship, and that meant breaking into this secure fortress, and stealing one.  
  
Tetsuya was no novice in this criminal area of expertise. Unlike many of the thieves and thugs that lived on the surface of Orega, Tetsuya had one weapon that would help separate him from the fools category and place him into the daring. Tetsuya had experience. Years of working within what was quite possibly the largest criminal organization in the universe had taught him tricks that had gotten him by a long time after his forced resignation. One of the greatest tricks he'd learned though, was patience. Tetsuya fully understood his need to get off the planet quickly, but he also knew that any haste would be worthless if it got him hauled off to a detention cell and handed over to the Galaxy Police.  
  
Tetsuya began by going in unarmed first and venturing into the various bars within the spaceport until he finally came across a guard on break. With the little amount of money he had left he purchased the guard some particularly potent booze, and then, with a precise added mixture of alcohol, managed to get a more detailed idea of what the security was like. Or rather, the many bugs that were still being worked out after some of the more recent devices installation. The security officer was more than happy to give a detailed explanation of such flaws; complaining about everything his duties demanded of him with an imperfect system.  
  
Tetsuya learned that two checkpoints stood between him and the hangar that he'd chosen. But only one of them could actually identify a weapon by shape. The first checkpoint's sensors were only capable of detecting a weapon by its ammunition. Through a little sleight of hand, Tetsuya managed to confiscate the drunken guard's blaster and exit the spaceport bar with it in tow. He then ejected the power cells of the security blaster and placed the higher output cells that his personal weapon used within the effective protection offered by the systems set up for the guards pistol use. With no source of power within his own blaster at that moment, the first checkpoint was easily passed by without raising an alarm.  
  
The second checkpoint was going to be a little bit trickier and would require extremely precise timing. With the sensors for the second checkpoint being able to detect the shape of a weapon as well as the ammunition, there would be no way that Tetsuya would be able to pass it by, with his customized pistol, without raising an alarm. So the key, then, was to allow an alarm to be sounded, but to make it happen away from where he was going. From his drunken pal still lying in a stupor in the spaceport bar, Tetsuya had learned that security guards were forced to use civilian bathrooms in order to allow for the owners to pay for the maintenance of such a powerful system. So again, Tetsuya was put in a position of patience over haste, as he calmly waited for a guard to hear the call of nature.  
  
Fortunately, lady luck was on his side, delivering to him a security guard who had let such a natural urge be ignored for far too long. The guard practically staggered by Tetsuya, mind intent upon the porcelain haven lying just beyond a single repulsor operated door. With the guard's thoughts so obviously preoccupied, Tetsuya found that pilfering the guard's blaster required little more skill than that of an infant. The next step, however, was a little bit more difficult as he had to figure out a way to knock out the system that allowed the weapon to pass undetected, and manage to do so without attracting any unwanted attention. He finally decided that the best chance he had was to try placing his higher powered blaster pack in the security blaster and attempt to fire off a shot. Hopefully, attempting to fire the blaster with the unfamiliar pack would short out the entire weapon and, as a result, would break the built-in security systems. Either that, or the weapon would simply explode, obliterating Tetsuya's hand, and bringing down patrolling guards on him from all directions.  
  
Tetsuya took cover in one of the more secluded corridors of the spaceport and, once he believed he had sufficient cover, replaced the security blaster's power pack with the one from his personal weapon. Silently muttering a prayer to a goddess he had abandoned a long time ago, he pointed the weapon away from himself and grimaced as his finger tensed on the trigger. He slowly pulled back, knowing full well that he may about to be arrested and in a serious amount of pain to top it all off. Which of course, wouldn't get him anywhere as far as tracking down Yosho. But at the moment, he believed he had no other option open to him. Every minute he remained stuck in this airport was just that much more time Caistlin's men would have to track down the kid.  
  
Finally, he eased back the trigger to it's furthest extent and heard the weapon make a clicking noise…  
  
The explosion Tetsuya had expected never came. Instead the blaster crackled with electricity for a moment and then expelled a small cloud of smoke from the end. Tetsuya looked around quickly to see if anyone had noticed the tiny failed discharge of energy before drawing the weapon in closer for inspection. Once he reassured himself that he was in the clear once more, he studied the security blaster intensely. He noticed several scorch marks running up and down the length of the weapon; proof of how close to exploding it had come. Tetsuya nearly fell down and praised Tsunami for his good fortune right there, but an image of time slipping through an hourglass in the form of grains of sand brought Tetsuya back to the task at hand.  
  
Returning the power pack to his own blaster and the security pack back to it's matching weapon, Tetsuya then reentered the flow of people moving through the spaceport terminal and quickly gauged the distance between his position and the security checkpoints, both ahead of him and behind. After making a few quick calculations, Tetsuya determined the amount of time he needed to reach the second checkpoint before his diversion would go off. Moving quickly to the proper point in traffic he then casually planted the security blaster on a bystander moving the opposite direction. He watched the innocent move through the crowds and, once Tetsuya was satisfied that his target hadn't noticed the sudden addition to his baggage, began to move towards the second checkpoint.  
  
With the second checkpoint still a short distance away the whole terminal suddenly burst into chaos as an alarm sounded from far down the hallway in the vicinity of the first checkpoint. Tetsuya continued his casual pace towards the second checkpoint as he watched streams of security guards run past him towards the 'offender'. Soon enough the noise made by the alarm covered the whole area and red lights that ran all the way through the terminal punctuated the state of emergency. Tetsuya couldn't help grinning as he casually slipped through the second checkpoint in the midst of the alert. He figured by the time the guards had figured out how the bystander had made it through the second checkpoint and why the innocent had a scorched security pistol on his person, Tetsuya would be in deep space, cracking open a bottle of Oregan wine to celebrate his escape into a long gone existence that he truly had missed as the years passed by.  
  
As Tetsuya reached the hangar bay and the final obstacle in his way, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a large brown cloak and a bottle of booze he'd hidden upon himself since leaving his apartment earlier in the day. Wrapping the cloak about his person he then hunched over, clutching the bottle by the neck in his hand. He then took a seat in the entryway to the hangar and waited.  
  
Soon enough a small merchant ship got clearance and landed within the bay Tetsuya surveyed. A worn down piece of trash with paint peeling from the few places that still had any covering at all, indicated just how successful it's owner had been. Still, Tetsuya noticed the engine capacity on the vessel could be capable of great speed so long as the cargo onboard was severely limited. The ship was bad for merchants as it made the perfect target for pirates with all the supplies there for the taking, but for Tetsuya's purposes, it was perfect.  
  
Tetsuya quickly ran through the plan as he watched the pilot of the small starship begin to climb down the entry ramp. He remembered that his drunken friend had mentioned that the biggest flaw with the hangar security was that, while it could create a three dimensional image that would show virtually everything in the entire bay, it was not capable of picking up sound. As the owner of the vessel finally touched the ground and began heading towards the entryway, Tetsuya began to move. He strolled up to the man, hunched over like some poor vendor attempting to make a bargain, with one hand extended gripping the bottle of booze, and the other hand hidden underneath the cloak clutching at the grip of his blaster.  
  
The man he faced was short with a little bit of a gut hanging over a thick leather belt. He wore a tiny Jurain silk coat to hide the fact that he was unsuccessful as far as his trade was concerned. He had thick thick brown eyebrows over tiny sunken eyes and greasy brown that the man had attempted to comb over a bald spot. An additional chin covered any semblance of a neck and an odor emanated from his body that was strong enough, that Tetsuya could then come up with a good guess as to why the man saw few, if any, customers.  
  
"Welcome good sir, to the wonderful world of Orega!" Tetsuya greeted as he approached the merchant. "Allow me to be the first to greet you with a gift!" Tetsuya extended his hand with the bottle. The large traveler shoved the bottle aside quickly, not paying Tetsuya any heed. The man continued onward, not even breaking his stride for the simple wine salesman. Tetsuya attempted to keep from losing his calm as he matched the man's pace moving up close enough that a good dose of the merchant's stench wafted up to his nostrils.  
  
"Oh, but sir, this is not just any wine, you see…" Tetsuya began.  
  
"Get lost!" the merchant grunted waving his hand to try and brush Tetsuya away.  
  
Tetsuya moved in closer. Just one more second… "Oh come now, sir, you mean to tell me that you'd pass up Orega's finest…?"  
  
The man stopped and began to turn. He cut Tetsuya off with an irritated grumble. "I said…!" That was when the heavyset traveler felt a steel barrel press against his side. His eyes widened in horror as he realized the true nature of the wine dealer. Tetsuya couldn't help but grin.  
  
"Do what I tell you, and no one gets hurt." Tetsuya began, his voice becoming colder and far more capable of implying the necessary amount of intimidation that'd be needed to pull off the heist quickly and efficiently. "Don't, and I'll make sure the GP spend a month picking up your pieces. Do we have an understanding?"  
  
The man said nothing, but his eyes widened further and his breathing came in quicker rasps and his massive body began to tremble with terror. All signs that Tetsuya's gambit had payed off. The merchant was now completely in his control, and Tetsuya's ticket off this hopeless little world had been secured. Tetsuya smiled to himself, knowing that the stars would finally once more be his.  
  
  
  
With the spaceport now fading into the distance and the atmosphere opening up before him revealing the universe beyond, Tetsuya sighed in relief. He popped open the bottle of Oregan booze he'd brought with him and took a long and hearty swig. He then offered the drink in praise to Tsunami for finally being able to escape the backwater hell that had taken so many years of his life. At last he was free again.  
  
His feelings of victory dissipated quickly however as the matter at hand caught up with him. He was free, but for how long had yet to be determined. He had defied Caistlin, and he well knew that such actions had almost certainly signed his own death sentence. Tetsuya's days were numbered now, he was sure of it. All he could do was go out with a bang. And that meant standing against what was probably the most powerful criminal syndicate the universe had ever known, and bringing down as much of it with him as possible.  
  
Somehow that brought a smile to Tetsuya's face. He continued to stare out the front view port of the cramped merchant's vessel as the world of Orega began to shrink behind him. He muttered silently to the stars. "Hold on, Yosho… I'm on my way…"  
  
  
  
End Chapter 2.  
  
Oi... hope you enjoyed reading. Send all comments and criticism to Preymaker@excite.com.  
  
Tankses. :) 


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